Oh the Bliss!

Troy is two and a half. That could really be the end of the post because that little sentence pretty much says it all. To keep myself from hurling profanities at him when he's crying for the bagillionth time I take his fat cheeks in my hands and tell him he's turning my brains to spaghetti and if he doesn't stop crying I'm going to serve him spaghetti-brains for dinner. No! Not Troy! Yes. Troy. He says awesome things, like he can't fly because he's not Buzz Lightyear, and he can't climb a pole because he's not a firefighter, and he can't wipe his own buns because he's not a mom. Wait, what? I thank God for Troy because without him I think my prayer life would be lacking, and I might start to think I've got a grasp on mothering. But good 'ol Tman rescues me everyday from myself, and reminds me how much I must depend on Christ for patience, and sanity.

This is probably of little to no interest to most, but I never know when I write about a product who might read it and think, AWESOME! I've always wanted one of these! Please let me know if this post does that for you. :-) I hosted a table at a tea on Saturday and for anyone who has ever enjoyed a nice cup of tea from an actual tea pot (china, not kettle) you'll know how fast the water gets cold. I was told from those who've gone before me to bring a thermos of hot water to keep at the table for fast refills. Lo and behold the day before the tea I found this little goodie at Ikea: (I also found some less "tea" - more "camping" utensils, that I ended up being a tiny bit embarrassed about - but then I remembered I was at a table with my dear ones who couldn't care less and I was fine again. Thanks dear ones!) This thermos is fabulous! Can a thermos be fabulous? Well this one can! I used it again today and didn't end up dumping the water until this

Amazima got a website overhaul and I think you should check it out. :-) I love, love, LOVE Amazima ministries . I love the children it serves. I love the women it empowers. I love the young lady who God is working magnificently and mightily through. I love the people who work for and with Amazima , who make it run the way it does. I love the power, the passion, the vision, the hope, the LOVE behind Amazima . Click on a link or on the badge over there ----------------------------->

My dear friend Joanna is in town from Michigan so we met up with her at Newport Beach this morning and HOLY MOLY it was a beautiful day. Seriously, I didn't want to leave. The kids were in heaven! (Funny how they complain if their bath water is too cold but will happily play in the FREEZING pacific ocean - no qualms about it.) Anyway, like I said, it was gorgeous. I need to do that more often. Oh, and I saw dolphins, and that was the icing on the cake. You will notice there is only one barely-there picture of Ben. That's because he was so busy playing in the waves and then playing on the playground and then riding his bike all around the path we were next to. These few hours filled his love-tank for sure. :-)

A woman I've recently gotten to know spoke truth into my life last night. She's not the first person to say these things to me, but for some reason (God) last I heard them - really heard them- and took note. She told me that the beauty of obedience is Christ walking with me through my fears. That if I choose to wait until the fears are gone, for peace and contentment, for assurance on all sides, for angels to start singing (you get the picture) I might wait forever because God's Word never ever says the only time He is blessing something is when everything feels right. It may never feel right. And I might miss out on the greatest adventure in my walk with Christ if I sit around waiting for a feeling. Jesus didn't feel right about dying on the cross. He didn't have warm fuzzies and high fives from his friends and family. He asked his father to spare him. But then, I imagine, he took a deep breath and bravely - while feeling completely isolated and perhaps a twinge

Patience and kind words has been my focus with the kids this week. Me to them, mind you. I've been asking the Lord to change my attitude pretty consistently as it seems I'm always in need of a tune up. I noticed that a lot of times when my kids ask for something I answer them like I'm really irritated and bugged. What if that's how God responded to me when I asked him for help? "SERIOUSLY? Can't you just do it? You have done this a million times, figure it out." Yep, I've said those words, and much worse. I also noticed how my tone of voice is much nicer with other people's kids than my own. By his grace, I am taking a split second to think how I want someone to respond to me before I respond to them. Oh I am so thankful for the love of Christ because there are soooooooo many days where I feel unloving and it is painfully obvious when I love on my own, out of my own supply, that my reserve is shallow and I come up empty. When I am bugged that my

I used to write Thankful Lists all the time, and today I keep thinking how thankful I am, so here's my list. No particular order... ~My new car. Everything about it is a total luxury. I do not deserve it. Or need it. But I am SO thankful for it. ~My friends bringing home their new-to-them little boy today. They are fostering him with high hopes of adoption. I've been thinking about them all day and I can't get over the excitement, the preciousness, the thankfulness that surrounds adoption. ~ A mom friend offered to make a table cloth for me that I need for this weekend. I was literally on my way to the fabric store when she called saying she was already there and would make if for me - I could not believe it! ~ My new water glasses from my mom who is always thinking about me. ~ The prayers from my husband over our family because they are rich and powerful. ~ Getting to have a FitzSnelSon night this week, topped off with a Frapy's. :-) ~ Some dear friends becoming dearer

I can't handle any more life changing books!! A couple years ago it was Too Small to Ignore by Wess Stafford, which gave a voice to all the child-advocacy thoughts in my head. Such a powerful book. I prayed that 100 copies would show up on my doorstep because I wanted every parent, teacher, youth leader, coach, Aunt, Uncle, Grandparent, babysitter... to read it. Sadly that didn't happen, but it's a must read if you have any type of dealings with children in any capacity. It's so good. Then it was The Robe, by Llyod C. Douglas, which gave a different angle to the story of Jesus and inspired me to constantly be on the look out for his return. Such a good read! Then there was Radical , by David Platt. Which was radical. I was highlighting so much of it one night Mark recommended I only highlight the parts I don't like, to save time and ink. One Million Arrows , by Julie Ferwerda, sits on my nightstand waiting for me to get past the first chapter but I can't bec

I have friends that work at Trader Joe's, (I like to bag my own groceries and pretend I work there too), so when they told me about this really yummy chicken tortilla soup I knew I'd love it. Mark isn't a huge soup fan - he eats it but doesn't LOOOOOOOOOVE is as I do, so I make it for lunch and then eat off it for a handful of days. What makes it even awesomer (just to continue my overuse of the word 'awesome') I use chicken that Mark cooks on the grill. We're talking GOOD chicken. Just so we're all clear - I realize this is more "opening, pouring and heating" than actual cooking, but I'm ok with that. TJ's Chicken Tortilla Soup Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (that's your base) One can of Organic Black Beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups of Fire Roasted Corn, it's in the freezer section ( I really like corn, so I put a lot in. All of the measuring in this is to your preference... it's FAIL PROOF, can I get an amen?!

This morning I was blessed with some alone time so I folded laundry and worshiped the Lord, because I see no reason why the two should not go together. This song, Beautiful Things by Gungor , came on and I was moved, then broken, then weeping at the beauty of it. The power of the lyrics and melody ministered to me in sweet, sweet way, so I thought I'd share it. Enjoy!

Hi! Hi! It's so good to -Get out of the street! You too. How are you? Oh I'm -off the table NOW, you know the rules- doing well, you? Great, except for the major -no you can't have a cookie right now- thing happening in our lives. Thing? What -on earth are you doing in there? Open the door and keep it open- thing? Me and the husband, we're -where's the baby? ----------- Take kid to the bathroom while friend finds the baby ------------ What was I saying? I dunno, something about a -yes you can have carrots- thing? ----------- pause to get carrots, cut carrots, serve carrots ----------- ----------- changes baby's diaper while pausing for carrots -------- Right the thing! We're trying to ------ save baby from choking on carrots -------- Is she ok? She's fine, she has a great -NO HITTING!- gag reflex. That's helpful. Mmmhmm. Were you saying something about your husband? How is -I don't know where your shoes are, where did you take them off?- he? He&#